Women Abused as Children more likely to have Children with Autism according to Trans-Generational Study

A new study suggests that women who experienced childhood abuse may be more likely to have children with autism. The results are also the first to suggest a trans-generational contribution to the developmental disorder.

Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that approximately one in 50 children, compared to the one in 88 from just a few years ago, are now being diagnosed with autism.

The authors of the JAMA Psychiatry paper studied more than 50,000 women enrolled in the Nurse's Health Study II, who were asked about any history of abuse before they were 12, with questions that delved into both physical and emotional abuse, as the women evaluated whether they had been hit hard enough to leave bruises, as well as whether adults or caregivers had insulted, screamed or yelled at them. They also filled out questionnaires about whether their own children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.

According to Time, women who reported physical, emotional, or sexual abuse when they were young were more likely to have a child with autism compared to women who were not abused. The more severe the abuse, the higher the chances of having a child with autism, with a rate at 60 percent higher than those who had not been abused for those who had received the most severe abuse.

However, according to the National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence, it is also possible that a mother's abuse could also cause her to engage in more harmful behaviors that could damage the fetus, including smoking, drinking and drug use.

The study is published in the  journal JAMA Psychiatry.